Paleʻi
by abbywesten
Summary: 2018 reboot. Thomas manages to get himself injured at Robin's Nest, and finds that sometimes help comes from the most unexpected of sources.
1. Chapter 1

_Hello! I've been working on several Magnum stories lately and this one sorted itself out before the others. Not a lot of deep plot as per my usual, but plenty of friendship plus hurt and comfort for poor Thomas! This story is complete so should go up fairly quickly. As always, I sincerely hope you enjoy. -abby_

* * *

Higgins wasn't at Robin's Nest. Magnum knew that for certain. She'd called from the market and mentioned that she had another few errands to run before coming back.

Kumu was gone too. In fact, most of the staff was gone. Saturdays were typically pretty quiet, and usually Thomas appreciated the solitude.

Usually.

However, on this particular Saturday the dogs were out. And there was no one to call them off.

Thomas eyed the dobermans from his position in the water. He had yet to drag the surf ski back onto shore, because he knew he was being watched. Zeus and Apollo were sitting perfectly still at the edge of the beach, just inside a small copse of palm trees. The private investigator could barely see them, but had no doubt they were waiting for him to get back on dry land. As far as Magnum was concerned, their one redeeming quality was that they didn't like to swim. The water was one place where he was always safe, but he couldn't stay out there forever. He sighed softly as he debated the options.

In her defense, Higgins hadn't left them outside on purpose. She'd thought they were safely in the house. And they had been, until one of them managed to nose through a window screen, snarling and snapping as Magnum walked past.

The private investigator had been on the way down to the beach anyway, ready for his morning rowing session. So he just picked up the pace a little and continued on, hoping that Zeus and Apollo would lose interest while he was on the water.

They had not.

"Go away!" Thomas shouted toward the trees, knowing full well that wouldn't do him any good. "Ugh. Freaking velociraptors," he grumbled. He was tired and hungry, having rowed further than usual, and was rapidly growing impatient with the situation. "This is ridiculous," he finally decided. He had never truly believed that the dobermans would actually attack him, and decided it was time to find out for sure.

Surf ski in tow, Magnum slowly moved into shallower water. Unfortunately he was paying far more attention to the dogs than to the sand and shells beneath his bare feet.

Still keeping an eye on his canine stalkers, Thomas was mere steps from shore when a sharp pain ripped through the bottom of his right foot. Agony lanced up his leg like a bolt of lightning and took him out at the knee. He cried out and stumbled, barely managing to catch himself before ending up with a faceful of sand.

"Ah, god!" Still halfway in the water he clenched his fists, pressing his forehead into the ground and locking his jaw against the fiery pain. After a moment it receded slightly and he managed to crawl the rest of the way onto the beach. Panting hard and fighting nausea, with an effort he rolled over to inspect the damage. A deep, ragged gash started at the ball of his foot and tore across the soft pad of the arch, ending just shy of his heel. It was bleeding heavily and looked even worse than it felt. "Fantastic," Thomas muttered through gritted teeth.

He pulled off his ratty old workout shirt and wrapped it around his foot, tying it off as tightly as he could to try and stem the bleeding. "Mmmmm," he hummed on an inhale, breathing deeply in an attempt to control the pain.

Suddenly Magnum heard a sharp bark and remembered the dogs. Apollo and Zeus had finally come out of the trees and were approaching him slowly. "Back off, guys," he said wearily. To his relieved surprise, they didn't growl or lunge but simply sat, cocking their heads curiously. "Atta boys," Thomas managed a faint smile before collapsing on his back.

He drifted then, gratefully succumbing to the darkness that hovered at the corners of his vision.


	2. Chapter 2

The next thing Thomas knew was wild, frantic barking. He startled awake in confusion and immediately pulled his hands into a defensive stance over his face as the noise loomed closer, followed by hurried footsteps.

"Magnum? What happened?" Higgins sounded worried.

Thomas wasn't sure why that would be, although he couldn't really think over the dogs. They were barking so much and so loudly and each sharp sound sent a spike of pain through his pounding head. "Easy," Higgins' voice said, but it didn't seem directed at him this time. "Easy. That's a good job, lads. Now sit."

Finally, mercifully, the racket stopped and with an effort the private investigator peeled his eyes open. "Higgy? What's going on?" She was kneeling in the sand and had busied herself at his feet, but he couldn't quite see what she was doing. He managed to prop himself up on his elbows to try and get a better view.

After unwrapping the blood-soaked t-shirt bandage she sat back on her heels. "Oh my god."

"Ohhh, yeah," Magnum said slowly, realization dawning as the fog in his brain lifted and his memory cleared. "Was bringing in the surf ski...think I must've stepped on something."

The concern etched in Juliet's features belied her sarcasm. "Do you think?"

In response he simply looked at her quizzically. "How...did you find me?"

"The lads," Juliet explained absently as she replaced the shirt bandage around his foot, stripped down to her camisole and wrapped her own button-down on top of Magnum's. He hissed as she pulled it tight. "Sorry," she murmured before continuing. "I had just returned from the market and they ran up to the house barking their bloody fool heads off. I followed them and here we are." As she spoke, she helped Thomas into a sitting position. "You need stitches. Probably quite a lot of them. Can you make it to the car if I help? Or shall I call for an ambulance?"

He shook his head vehemently, just as Juliet had known he would. "No ambulance. I can make it."

"All right, then. Up you get." She knelt by his side, wrapping his right arm around her shoulders. Magnum drew his left knee toward his body and pushed up with that leg as Juliet rose. He leaned heavily on her, trying to keep his breathing steady as he found his footing.

As they attempted to move forward Thomas stumbled, landing too hard on his injured foot. "Ahhhh hell," he gasped. For an instant his vision whited out completely and his knees buckled.

"Easy, I've got you," Juliet tightened her grip, holding the private investigator upright as he regained his equilibrium. They quickly discovered that he could only put the barest amount of pressure on his toes and after a moment they found a rhythm, but with each limping step he had to let Higgins take more of his weight as they made their way from the beach. Apollo and Zeus lagged behind, stopping occasionally to sniff the trail of blood left in Magnum's wake.

After a few minutes, Thomas was completely exhausted by the efforts. "Higgins," he panted, unable to say anything further.

"I know. We're almost there," Juliet was breathing heavily as well, straining under her burden. Magnum wasn't a large man, but he was solidly built and all compact muscle. Far heavier than he looked, in any case. "Just sit here for a minute," she said, lowering her injured friend to the ground. "I should be able to pull the car in closer."

He nodded, draping an arm over his face as he lay back on the grass with a groan.

Higgins patted his thigh gently, then turned her attention to the dobermans. "Keep an eye on him, lads." The dogs obediently sat down at the private investigator's side and she smiled faintly, taking off for the estate's garage at a trot.

A few minutes later, Robin Masters' black Range Rover rumbled slowly over the lawn, coming to a stop a few feet shy of where Magnum was fitfully dozing. Zeus and Apollo were stretched out right where she'd left them, heads resting on their paws. But per Higgins' instructions, they weren't asleep. The dogs monitored their charge with a watchful eye, lifting their heads and whining each time Magnum shifted in his discomfort.

"Thomas," Juliet left the vehicle running as she knelt by his side, shaking his shoulder gently. "Come on, Thomas. Let's get you to hospital."

"Ugh," he grunted, allowing Higgins to help him sit then slowly stand. She eased herself back under his arm and all but carried him to the passenger side of the SUV. Once he was settled, she checked his injury and realized that the makeshift bandage was soaked through with blood. She'd grabbed some clean shop rags from the garage and wrapped one over the shirts, tying it off as tightly as she could. Magnum cried out, and she squeezed his hand in a silent apology. Quickly and carefully she propped his foot on the stack of remaining rags and buckled him in before closing the door.

"Go on, lads," she shooed the dogs away, making sure they were at a safe distance before getting in the driver's seat and heading for the emergency room.


	3. Chapter 3

_Two chapters in one night? Unheard of! As a general disclaimer - I don't own Magnum or its characters, and I'm no sort of expert on anything relevant. Thank you so much for the kind feedback so far. I hope you continue to enjoy the story. -abby_

* * *

"Complete these and we'll get to him as soon as we can," the bored intake clerk shoved a stack of papers at Higgins.

"He's bleeding rather severely," Juliet pointed out. "He'd already lost quite a bit of blood before I even found him."

Seemingly unmoved, the woman glanced past Higgins to where Magnum was miserably slumped in a waiting room chair. She shrugged. "We'll get to him as soon as we can," she repeated.

"You're all heart," Higgins said acidly, grabbing the forms. She turned on her heel and crossed the room to kneel beside Thomas. Her tone softened. "How are you doing?"

"Lightheaded," he grunted.

"Blood loss," she sympathized. "Let me get you some water." She stood and crossed the small waiting room to fill a cup from the nearby water cooler. "Here," she knelt again and helped him take a drink.

"Thanks," he murmured, sliding further down with a wince as he tried in vain to get comfortable. Higgins pulled over another chair and gently elevated his injured foot, then settled in her own seat so that he could rest his head on her shoulder.

Higgins worked on the insurance forms as he restlessly napped. Completing them was fairly straightforward since she knew he carried the baseline medical insurance that Robin Masters provided for all of his employees, herself included. She noted his veteran status then filled in the other details as best she could - full name, birth date, those she knew. His medical history was harder but given the amount of times that Magnum had been injured in just the short period she had known him, she suspected that information was already on file.

Task finished, she sat as still as possible so as to not disturb Thomas, moving only to check her watch from time to time. After an hour, with Magnum still breathing raggedly on her shoulder, Higgins had completely lost all semblance of patience. As she weighed her options, debating between waking the injured man so she could get up or waiting for him to eventually bleed out right there on hospital property, a scrub-clad nurse with a clipboard appeared in the doorway.

"Thomas Magnum?"

"Here," Juliet said, holding out the insurance forms with one hand as she gently supported Magnum's head with the other.

"Okay. Let me get a wheelchair," the nurse observed, accepting the papers before she walked quickly away. Within moments she returned.

"Come on, Thomas," Juliet urged softly, helping the nurse ease the groggy patient into the wheelchair.

"You coming back with him?"

Juliet looked at Thomas, as if to ask permission.

"She's coming," Magnum confirmed with a weak smile.

* * *

"What in the bloody hell is the matter with these people?" Higgins tried to keep her voice down but her frustration was clear. "You're bleeding all over the place and they don't seem to care!"

"Sit down, Higgy," Magnum's voice was rough. "You're making me nervous."

"Sorry," she perched on the edge of the single chair and took a deep breath. After a moment she looked up, surprised to see Thomas smiling in weary amusement. "What?"

"I've just never seen you like this," he said, relaxing against the flat hospital pillows. "Be careful," he warned with a smirk. "Someone might think that you care."

She laughed in spite of herself. "You are completely incorrigible." She paused. "It doesn't bother you that they've essentially abandoned you here, letting you slowly bleed to death?"

"I'm not bleeding to death," he replied. "At least I hope not. They're just busy, Higgins. I'm not in imminent danger so they'll get to me when they can."

"Why did they move us in here then? Just to give false hope that you might actually get medical care sometime this century?"

He barked out a tired laugh, but before he could respond the curtain slid open.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Mr. Magnum." As she spoke the doctor eyed Higgins, who simply lifted an eyebrow in response.

"No problem, doc." Magnum's eyes slid to his blonde companion. _Be nice,_ he mouthed silently. She rolled her own eyes but sat quietly as the doctor examined Magnum's injury.

"You did quite a number on yourself here," the physician said after a moment. "Let's get it cleaned out, then I should be able to close it with a dozen or so sutures. I'll go get some supplies and will be back in a moment."

Higgins opened her mouth, ready to give her opinion of yet another wait. She closed it with a snap at Magnum's pointed glare.

"Sounds good. Thanks," Thomas said quietly. He shifted uncomfortably on the thin mattress, clearly in pain, and Higgins reached over to pat his arm. She hesitated for a moment, then hoping she wasn't overstepping, slipped her smaller fingers into his.

He gripped her hand tightly in response, a grateful smile on his pain-lined face.

* * *

Nearly four hours after Higgins found Magnum on the beach, they were finally back at Robin's Nest. The private investigator was sporting fifteen stitches, prescriptions for both painkillers and antibiotics, and a pair of crutches.

"Careful, Thomas," Juliet pulled the crutches out of the back seat as he opened the passenger door and swung his legs out. She helped him stand, only letting go when she was sure the crutches were secure under his arms.

"Go on, lads. Get!" Zeus and Apollo had appeared out of nowhere and were getting underfoot. The last thing she needed was for Magnum to trip over a dog.

"Come on. Have a seat and I'll get you some water." Higgins led her woozy charge into the house. He'd been given some heavy-duty painkillers at the hospital and was a little uncoordinated, so she did a lot of the work to get him settled on the couch. She lifted his legs and propped his bandaged foot on the cushions.

He stretched out and was half asleep before she'd even left the room. When she returned, the dobermans were both curled up beside the couch.

"You seem to have made a couple of new friends," Juliet said with a smile. She sat down next to him and set a glass of water on the table.

"What?" Thomas blinked drowsily, finally following her gaze down to the two dogs. He inhaled sharply. "Why are they here?"

"Magnum," Higgins teased. "Are you scared of the lads?"

He glared. "No. I have a healthy survival instinct, that's all."

She laughed out loud. "Of course. Speaking of which, they probably saved your life."

Magnum's snort was indignant. "They did not!"

"Thomas. You were passed out on the beach and losing blood. Who knows how long it would have taken me to discover you without their help."

Too tired and drugged to come up with a retort, the private investigator just continued to glare.

Still laughing, she patted his shoulder. "Don't strain yourself. Rest, Thomas. I'll be here when you wake up."

It didn't take long for him to drop off into sleep and Higgins looked down at the dobermans as she stood. "Come get me if he needs anything, lads," she whispered softly. The look of rapt attention in their dark eyes told her that the instruction was unnecessary, and the majordomo smiled contentedly as she walked away.


	4. Chapter 4

_This story is so fluffy! I am sorry about that...sort of. Haha! -abby_

* * *

"What the hell happened to you?" Rick stood in the doorway of the guest house, hands on his hips.

Magnum sat on his couch, injured foot propped on the coffee table and cushioned by a pillow. The crutches leaned against a nearby wall. "Hey, man." The former SEAL smiled sheepishly. "Cut my foot up a little this morning. No big deal." He relayed the story to his amused friend.

Rick shook his head. "I swear, you get into trouble more than anyone I've ever met in my life."

"He's a trouble magnet. Exactly what I've been saying all along," agreed Higgins. She rounded the corner from the kitchen, holding a bowl of popcorn and two bottles - a beer for herself and a soda for the medicated Thomas. "We're going to watch a movie. Want to join?"

"Sure," Rick replied, chuckling. "And between the two of us maybe we can keep Mr. Magnet here from killing himself."

Juliet smiled approvingly.

"Wait a minute, wait." Thomas held up his hands. "How is any of this my fault? It was an accident."

"No one said it was your fault," Rick said, digging around in the fridge for his own beer. "And yet-"

"Trouble still managed to find you," Higgins finished for him. "See? Trouble magnet." She took a sip from her bottle with a knowing smile before handing the other to Thomas.

He glared at her but accepted the soda. "I'd rather have a beer," he said sullenly.

"I'm sure you would," Juliet patted his leg as she sat down in a nearby armchair.

"Not gonna happen," Rick grinned as he plopped on the couch next to his buddy, holding his own beer.

"I don't know why you're ganging up on me. I'm an injured man here!" Thomas grumbled good-naturedly.

Suddenly there was a bark from beside the couch, as if in agreement. Three heads swiveled to look.

"Apollo?" Juliet looked at the dog in surprise. "Where did you come from?"

The doberman whined, moving closer to the sofa and gently resting his head on Magnum's extended leg. The dog's dark eyes were laser-focused on the private investigator.

Thomas stiffened, eyeing the canine suspiciously. "What is he doing?"

Rick laughed. "Man, relax. I think he's protecting you."

"From what?"

It was Juliet's turn to laugh. "Us, it seems."

* * *

Thomas was annoyed. Per the doctor's strict instructions, he couldn't put any weight on his injured foot for at least two weeks - not that he wanted to try. But he'd been on crutches for less than 24 hours and was already tempted to fling them into the Pacific.

All he wanted was a bowl of cereal. But even that was a production, since he obviously couldn't carry a full bowl to the table by himself. He was beginning to regret his insistence on staying in his own bed. The night before, he'd stubbornly turned down Higgins' offer of a room in the main house but much to his chagrin, realized she may have had a point.

Sighing heavily, Magnum resigned himself to making several trips across the kitchen. He had made it halfway back to the table on his second round trip when he lost his tenuous grip on the box of cereal he'd been trying to carry in his fingertips while using the crutches.

It all happened faster than he could think. The box slipped, he dropped his crutches to try and catch it, and the next thing he knew he was flat on his rear end in a pile of Cheerios.

"Ow," Thomas muttered crossly as he checked his bandages to confirm that he hadn't busted anything. Satisfied that nothing was damaged but his dignity, after a moment he rolled onto his hands and knees and began the laborious process of gathering the fallen crutches and standing.

Then he heard what sounded like claws skittering on the hard floor. "Oh no. Not now, you freakin' mutts," he grumbled as two canine heads poked around the corner. Thomas sat back down and slid a crutch closer, just in case. However, Apollo and Zeus were far more interested in the spilled cereal than they were in him at the moment. They came all the way into the kitchen and helped themselves.

"Well, at least now I won't have to clean it up," he told them. "God, what a mess. Good thing Higgins isn't here. She would never let me hear the end of this," he chuckled.

At the mention of the majordomo's name both dogs perked up, ears on high alert. Without warning they took off at a run, leaving Magnum alone. He groaned, massaging the bridge of his nose.

He was still sitting there, trying to muster the energy to stand whenever the front door opened. "Magnum?"

_Fantastic_, he thought. "In here," he called with a sigh.

Footsteps approached. Higgins rounded the corner and her eyes grew wide as she took in the sight. Crushed Cheerios covered the floor and a sheepish private investigator sat in the middle of the mess. He leaned back on his hands, left leg drawn up against his chest. The right stuck straight out in front, injured foot resting against an empty cereal box.

Juliet covered her mouth with a hand, but her eyes betrayed the smile. "Oh my. Um. Might I ask what happened?"

"There was an incident," Magnum replied.

"I see," Higgins let a laugh escape. "Are you hurt?" She reached down a hand to help him up.

"Just my pride," he responded, gripping her forearm and using the leverage to stand. He balanced one-footed against the cabinets, palms flat on the countertop as she gathered his crutches.

"What are you doing here anyway?" He accepted the crutches and allowed her to guide him over to the table where he sat and watched as she pulled out a broom and started sweeping cereal into a pile.

She didn't answer, instead asking her own question. "Were the lads here?"

"Yeah, actually. Must have come in through the lanai. They helped themselves" - he gestured at the floor - "and then took off. Why?"

She chuckled. "Looks like they've come to your rescue again. I was reading a book by the pool when they ran up, barking their fool heads off until I followed them. Just like yesterday."

Magnum rolled his eyes. "I was fine."

"Yes, well. Regardless, it appears that Apollo and Zeus have appointed themselves as your protectors."

"Lucky me."

Juliet laughed out loud, shaking her head at his sullen reply.


	5. Chapter 5

_This story has been so much fun to write. Thank you for following along so far. I hope you enjoy this chapter. -abby_

* * *

Shortly past midnight, Magnum woke to a throbbing pain. "Ow," he grunted. His entire foot felt tight and hot, and after a minute he dragged himself upright and turned on the light. Carefully he unwrapped the bandages so he could examine the injury. It was a little swollen and red around the sutures but looked mostly fine, and he decided that maybe ice would help. He reached for his crutches, but accidentally knocked them over and they fell behind the headboard, almost completely out of reach. He groaned, flopping back against the pillows. "Forget it."

Thomas tossed and turned for a while, trying to find a comfortable position so he could block out the discomfort, but sleep was completely beyond him. Unfortunately the pulsing in his foot was just a little too sharp to ignore, despite deep breathing and use of every pain-control technique in his considerable arsenal. He looked over at the bedside clock, then closed his eyes again on a frustrated sigh. He hated to wake Higgins in the middle of the night, but knew he wouldn't be able to retrieve the crutches without help. He briefly debated trying to make it to the kitchen without them, but knew he was risking Juliet's wrath if he managed to injure himself further. And with the way his luck had been going…

He stretched one arm over to the nightstand, blindly searching for his phone by feel. When he didn't find it he opened his eyes, propping himself on an elbow so he could actually look. The phone wasn't on the charger, its usual nighttime spot, and Magnum's face fell when he suddenly remembered exactly where he'd left it...on the table right next to the couch. Which, incidentally, was the same place he'd left the bottle of prescription painkillers that Higgins had tried - unsuccessfully - to force on him earlier.

Regrets, he had a few.

"Now what," he wondered aloud. There was no landline, and he knew there was no chance that Juliet would hear him yell. The guest house was much too far away from the main building where she slept. Then he had an idea.

He'd been too tired to bother closing up the lanai before going to bed, and it was still wide open to the lawn. Probably not wise from a security perspective, but hopefully it would work to his advantage. Before he could talk himself out of it he sat up, stuck two fingers in his mouth and whistled as hard as he could, hoping that Higgins had left the dogs outside.

Nothing. He took a deep breath and tried one more time. This time he heard the running of canine feet and called out. "Come on, guys! Zeus! Apollo!" They rounded the corner into his bedroom and stood just inside the doorway, watching him intently. "Hey," he greeted them with surprise. "I can't believe that actually worked."

_Now if this next part works that will really be something,_ he admitted inwardly, knowing that had been the easy part. He looked at the dogs. "Go get Higgins!" He gestured toward the main house. "Higgins! Go get Higgins! Go on! Get!" They just sat down, cocking their heads in synchronized confusion.

"Ugh," Magnum groaned loudly in frustration and collapsed back onto the mattress. He rubbed a hand down his face and when he glanced back at the door, realized that both dobermans had disappeared. He lay quietly, barely daring to breathe and sure enough, heard faint barking headed in the direction of the main house. _I'll be damned._

Less than three minutes later, the front door opened. "Thomas?" Worry was clear in Higgins' tired voice.

"In here! I'm okay," he reassured as she all but ran through the open bedroom door.

Thin cotton pajama bottoms poked out from underneath Juliet's haphazardly-tied silk bathrobe, and her feet were bare. Surveying Magnum critically, she folded slender arms across her chest and arched one elegant eyebrow. "If you're okay then what am I doing here? The lads had me convinced you were surely at death's door."

He smiled apologetically, lines of pain evident at the corners of his dark eyes. "Yeah, sorry about that. My foot is killing me and I wanted to ice it but then I dropped my crutches and couldn't reach them...and my phone is in the other room." Thomas sounded pathetic and he knew it. His smile turned sheepish.

Juliet's expression softened, and she chuckled. "Oh, is that all?" She stepped closer and gave his knee a friendly squeeze as she sat on the edge of the bed. "May I have a look?" At his nod she carefully examined the sutured gash, gently pressing her fingertips into the swollen skin around the injury. He hissed when she hit a particularly tender spot. "Sorry," Higgins apologized as she continued probing. "Perhaps if you'd actually taken those painkillers earlier, you wouldn't be quite so miserable now," she chided lightly.

"Maybe," he admitted.

"I don't think it's infected," she decided, carefully re-bandaging the injury before rising to her feet. "How about some ice and the painkillers and we'll see how you feel in the morning?" Without waiting for a response she continued, "I'll be right back."

Magnum lay on the bed and listened as Higgins went into the kitchen. He could hear her opening drawers and rummaging in the freezer. A few moments later she returned, laden with a towel-wrapped ice pack, glass of water and the bottle of pills. She carefully draped the ice pack over his foot, then doled out a dose of meds and watched as he downed them obediently before taking the glass out of his hand and setting it aside. At that point she reached into the pocket of her bathrobe and pulled out Magnum's phone, which she plugged into the charger and placed on the nightstand. Finally she got down on her hands and knees and extricated his crutches from where they had gotten wedged behind the bed.

By the time she finished, the throb in Magnum's foot had receded to a manageable level and his eyelids had gotten very heavy. He blinked slowly, watching with detached interest as Higgins covered him with a blanket and turned off the bedside lamp. He took a bit more notice when she settled herself on the opposite side of the bed, back resting against the headboard.

"What're you doin'?" Magnum's voice slurred a little with the effects of the medication.

"That ice pack cannot stay on your foot all night," she explained patiently. "So I'm going to wait here for fifteen minutes. Then I'll take it off and go sleep on the sofa. Rest, Magnum. I'll be here if you need me."

"Don't wanna be any trouble."

Juliet laughed gently. "Oh, I do believe that ship has sailed," she teased, patting his shoulder. "Just go to sleep, Thomas."

"Mm-kay," he murmured agreeably as he dropped off.


	6. Chapter 6

"Do you think it's time to admit you may need a bit of help?" Higgins lifted an eyebrow over her coffee mug. She was curled in a chair on the guest house lanai, watching the private investigator appraisingly.

"What? Didn't I admit that last night, when I had to send _the dogs_ to get you?" Eyes closed, Magnum reclined nearby on one of the comfortable lounges. An extra pillow elevated his injured foot, which was again draped with an ice pack. He'd fought Higgins on the painkillers this time, but from the way his face was pinched with poorly hidden misery she had eventually succeeded in forcing him to take one. However, he'd flatly refused any coffee and she knew that meant he was nauseous.

"I mean perhaps you should just stay in the main house until you're back on your feet. Between the...cereal incident and last night I think that would be better, don't you?" She paused. "Not to mention, at the moment you're clearly feeling unwell."

He sighed. Without bothering to open his eyes, he rolled his head in her direction and made a face. "Do I have a choice?"

"There's always a choice, Thomas." She smiled, knowing he could hear it in her voice. "It's just a matter of whether you make the _right _choice." The smile dropped from her face as she continued. "I just want to help. Why do you have to be so bloody stubborn all the time?"

Finally the dark eyes opened, studying her thoughtfully. "Okay," he replied simply.

Surprised, she laughed softly. "Well then. Good choice. I'll go pack you a bag." She gracefully unfolded herself and stood, setting the coffee mug on a side table before stretching her arms overhead. "I don't think I could stand another night on that sofa."

Magnum wasn't sure what to say to that, but Juliet had already walked away. He fell asleep while she busied herself in his bedroom, gathering clothes and toiletries. When she was finished, Juliet went back out on the lanai and hesitated. She knew he'd hardly gotten any rest the night before and hated to wake him. After a moment of internal debate, she decided to go take a quick shower first. Making sure that his phone was charged and within easy reach, Juliet took the bag of his clothes and hurried over to the main house.

Twenty minutes later, she was dressed and on her way to collect Thomas. And once on the lanai, Higgins couldn't help but laugh at the sight before her.

Apollo was stretched out alongside Magnum's lounge chair on his back, all four paws in the air. Zeus had gone a step further and was actually on the lounge, carefully arranged between Magnum's legs with his chin resting on the private investigator's good ankle.

Shaking her head, Higgins carefully removed the ice pack from his foot before returning to her seat and picking up her abandoned coffee. It was still lukewarm and she sipped it slowly, gazing out at the beach.

Fifteen minutes later, Magnum awakened. He blinked groggily and furrowed his brow in confusion at her attire. "Weren't you wearing a bathrobe?"

Juliet smiled. "I took a shower while you were asleep," she replied. She nodded toward Zeus. "That's not the only thing that happened while you were sleeping."

Thomas followed her gaze and tensed slightly. After a moment he relaxed and huffed a derisive snort. "Some observational skills. How did he get there without me noticing?"

"You're tired and on medication," Juliet said gently.

"Told you I don't like the drugs," he grumbled.

Chuckling, she stood and shooed Zeus off the lounge, careful to keep him from jarring Magnum's injury. "So you did. Come along." She helped him up, keeping a light grip on his elbow as he arranged the crutches. "How's the nausea?"

He narrowed his eyes suspiciously at the question. "How'd you know?"

"You refused coffee and are looking somewhat green," she replied with a kind smile. "It wasn't hard to figure out."

Thomas only grunted in response.

Dogs plodding along behind, she followed him back to the main house, staying within arm's reach in case the nausea got too overwhelming. He paused once, face turning white as a sheet. She placed a reassuring hand in the small of his back and waited patiently as he took a couple of deep breaths and swallowed hard, clearly battling the queasiness. After a moment he nodded, and she encouraged him softly to keep going.

Once in the main house, she helped him get comfortable on the sofa in the den.

"Do you need anything?" Juliet had already procured a washcloth from the bathroom. She dampened it in the sink then draped it over Magnum's forehead and eyes as he relaxed into the cushions.

"'m okay," he murmured, already close to dozing off.

"Rest, Thomas." Patting his knee, she echoed her words from the previous night. "I'll be here if you need me."

"Thanks," he whispered.

Juliet nearly tripped over the dobermans as she turned to leave the room, yet somehow managed to tamp down a yelp. "Move, lads," she said softly. "Leave him alone."

When she reached the doorway she turned back and stood just out of sight, watching as the dogs approached Magnum's prone form despite her order. Apollo sniffed the private investigator briefly as Zeus turned in circles and settled in on the floor beside the sofa. After a moment Apollo did the same and Juliet smiled, marveling again at their protectiveness.


	7. Chapter 7

_We're almost there - one chapter left after this one. Enjoy! -abby_

* * *

"Higgins!" Magnum yelled. "Higgins, help!"

He cursed the fact that he'd forgotten - again - to charge his phone. It was completely dead, and now he was trapped.

It had been three weeks since his injury, and he'd only just been cleared to drive. He'd gotten so used to being with Higgins in the Range Rover that he had yet to settle back into going places on his own. Magnum wasn't actually sure how that was an excuse for neglecting to put his phone on the charger but he supposed it didn't much matter.

"Come on, guys. I thought we had an understanding," he said to the two dobermans who paced back and forth outside the Ferrari. They bared their teeth and growled in response.

"Ughhhh," he groaned, banging his head against the steering wheel in frustration. The impact gave him an idea, and he laughed at himself for not thinking of it sooner. Then he laid on the horn.

The dogs barked and howled furiously, and in a matter of seconds Higgins ran out of the house. She came to a stop as soon as she was in view of the Ferrari. Magnum released the horn and busied himself with trying to interpret the look on Juliet's face.

Eventually he landed on amusement, if only because the majordomo was clearly trying not to laugh as she finally approached the car. "Thomas Magnum. What seems to be the problem here?"

"These velociraptors," the private investigator glared at the canines.

"Easy, lads." She quieted the dobermans with a look. They hesitated briefly, then backed off and sat.

"_Thank_ you," Thomas said as he swung open the car door and stood.

"What happened to your newly forged friendship? I had quite hoped I was done with having to rescue you from those two," Higgins teased as she walked alongside Magnum on the way to the guest house, watching him surreptitiously from the corner of her eye. The limp was subtle, but he still didn't put all of his weight on his right foot. She couldn't quite tell if it was due to actual pain or just an abundance of caution.

Shrugging, he laughed. "Looks like we're back to the status quo."

"Are you in pain?" She indicated his foot with a gesture.

He seemed to be giving her question actual thought before responding. "No. Not really. Just a little sore is all."

She smiled. "Then that's probably why."

Magnum frowned, clearly confused. "Why, what?"

"Why the lads have turned on you again. You're better now, and it seems they've decided you no longer need protection."

He shook his head, chuckling. "Lucky me."

"At least now we know they'll give you a break next time," she grinned wickedly.

"What next time? No one said anything about a next time," Magnum protested.

Juliet's face turned serious. "I think we both know there will be a next time."

He shrugged again. "Probably. Hopefully not for something dumb like walking through sand." He paused thoughtfully. "You know, this was really all the stupid mutts' fault in the first place."

Higgins lifted an eyebrow. "They're animals, Thomas. You're telling me they're to blame for your unfortunate misstep?"

"Well, yeah. If I hadn't been so focused on whether they were going to attack once I got out of the water, I would have paid more attention to where I was stepping."

She laughed, shaking her head. "Unbelievable."

"What?"

"They saved your life, and you're going to blame them for your accident," her tone was incredulous.

"They did _not_ save my life. I would have made it back up to the house on my own. Eventually."

Juliet rolled her eyes. "Before you bled to death? You were unconscious when I found you," she reminded him. "And you couldn't walk."

"I would have managed," he insisted.

She just laughed. They were still bickering as they entered the guest house, where Rick and TC had let themselves in and were already prepping food for the grill.

"Time out!" TC called. "What seems to be the problem here?"

"Nothing," Thomas said at the exact moment Juliet proclaimed, "There's no problem."

Rick and TC both raised their eyebrows. "Sure," Rick replied. "Anyway, moving on." He looked at Thomas. "How are you doing, bud?"

"Fine," the private investigator replied with an affable shrug. "Good as new."

"You're limping," TC said mildly, not bothering to look up from his food prep. Rick, on the other hand, paused in the middle of slicing a tomato to stare at Thomas expectantly.

"Foot's a little stiff," Magnum replied obediently. Juliet immediately caught the difference in his answer from only moments earlier. However, she didn't have the chance to wonder about it for long.

After years of experience, Rick easily translated the response. "So it's still sore. That's not quite good as new," the blond man said matter-of-factly.

"Fine. _Almost _good as new." Magnum rolled his eyes. "I'm okay. Really."

"Okay enough for some touch football?" TC asked. He set aside the freshly prepared hamburger patties and washed his hands, finally fixing his friend with an appraising look.

"Yeah, for sure," Thomas grinned.

* * *

After lunch Juliet opted for a spectator's seat while TC, Rick and Thomas tossed a football back and forth. The private investigator knew his friends were taking it easy on him so when he saw an opportunity he grabbed it, tackling TC and taking him down. The larger man was caught off guard and landed on his back but he reacted quickly, shoving Thomas off with a laugh. Rick and Juliet cracked up at the offended look on Magnum's face as he landed in an unceremonious heap.

"Hey! What happened to being worried about me? I was injured, you know."

"No one said I was worried," grinned TC wickedly. To prove his point he easily pinned Magnum to the ground, using the size difference to his advantage. "You don't get a pass, TM. You said that you're fine."

Suddenly the air was filled with the sound of barking. The dobermans tore across the lawn, heading directly for TC. He looked up in alarm and rolled off of Thomas, hands up in surrender. "Whoa! Easy, guys! I was just playing around with our boy here."

When she realized the dogs meant business, Juliet jumped to her feet. "Heel, lads!" The dobermans froze mid-bark and turned to look at her. "Sit," she commanded. They obeyed.

"I guess they're not quite done protecting you yet, Magnum," Higgins noted with a chuckle.

Still sitting on the grass, Magnum just shook his head. Laughing, he commented, "Earlier they wouldn't even let me out of the car but now they're ready to tear out TC's throat because they thought he was hurting me?"

"Maybe you should update your Facebook relationship status to 'It's complicated'," Rick teased, reaching over to scratch Apollo behind the ears. The dog immediately rolled over, demanding belly rubs.

"Ha ha," Thomas rolled his eyes with an indulgent chuckle. Tentatively, he stretched a hand out to try and pat Apollo's head while the doberman was occupied.

All three of his friends collapsed in laughter at the snarl he received in return.


	8. Chapter 8

Thomas strolled toward the beach, whistling softly. He had been cleared for regular physical activity at the same time he was released to drive, but hadn't yet made it out on the water. He had missed his daily rowing sessions but, though he was loathe to admit it even to himself, Magnum found he was a little apprehensive about walking in the sand. He'd been finding excuses to avoid getting back to his workouts, but was starting to feel silly. After all, he'd previously dragged the surf ski onto shore hundreds of times without incident.

He hadn't said a word to anyone about his newfound worries but as usual, Higgins had recognized the problem and provided Magnum with a straightforward solution.

When he'd gotten up that morning he had been surprised to find a gift-wrapped box on the kitchen counter, neatly labeled with his name in Higgins' flowing script. Thomas had laughed out loud to discover the box contained a pair of thick-soled water shoes and a note, which read "These may have been more helpful three weeks ago, but perhaps you can still find a use for them."

Juliet's attention to detail was impeccable so of course they fit perfectly, and the private investigator had wasted no time in putting on his swim trunks and making a beeline for the beach. He shook his head as he stepped onto the sand in his new shoes, laughing at his own complete oversight of such an obvious way to deal with the problem.

Suddenly he felt like he was being watched, and looked over his shoulder to see Zeus and Apollo sitting nearby. "Great," he muttered. "Here we go again." Shaking his head he swiftly dragged the surf ski out into the water, opting to completely ignore his canine observers.

Thanks to a delightfully long workout, Magnum had forgotten all about the dogs by the time he made his way back to shore and as he hauled the surf ski onto the beach, his arms reminded him that he hadn't actually rowed in a while. Exhausted, Thomas flopped on his back in the sand and relaxed in the warm sun.

It didn't take long for him to fall asleep, only to be startled awake some time later. His face was damp and was that hot...breath in his ear? "Gah!" Magnum sat up quickly, then realized he could hear someone laughing. "Higgins? What...? What the _hell_."

The dobermans stood by Magnum's side, cocking their heads curiously. "Come, lads." Juliet snapped her fingers and at a gesture the two dogs relocated to her heels. The blonde woman was still chuckling, standing a few feet away in the sand with her hands on her hips.

Disgusted, Thomas wiped his cheek with his hand as he scrambled to his feet. "What were they doing? Were they _licking me_?"

"Presumably they were checking to see if you were alive, though I do rather wish they'd done that before coming to fetch me from the house." Her tone was amused.

"I must have dozed off," Magnum realized.

"The lads clearly thought you'd injured yourself again. Came running like hell itself was on their tails." She regarded him thoughtfully. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah, fine," he replied with a nod. "Rowed a little further than I intended, that's all." He smiled. "Thanks for the shoes."

"My pleasure. Hopefully they'll keep you out of trouble for a little while, yes?"

He threw his hands in the air, grinning cheerfully. "Who knows?"

Higgins laughed. "Indeed. Well in the meantime, I was in the middle of making lunch when the lads interrupted me, so maybe you'd be interested in some tofu?" She knew the answer before even asking the question.

"You can keep that," he lobbed back, "but I'd be interested in a cold beer if you have one." He offered his arm, and she tucked her hand into his elbow.

"Absolutely. Come along." They strolled in companionable silence, the dogs trotting alongside.

When they reached the main house, Magnum decided to take a chance. He took a deep breath, carefully reached down and attempted to scratch Zeus behind the ears. The doberman instantly pulled back his lips and snarled, making his position very clear.

"You guys just really aren't going to give me a break are you?"

Higgins couldn't help but chuckle at the private investigator's frustrated sigh. "Don't worry, Thomas. I'll protect you."

And even though she was teasing, Thomas had no doubt that she would.

* * *

_In case anyone was wondering, pale'i means protectors - at least according to Google Translate. Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed this story! -abby_


End file.
